Model and TV presenter Alexa Chung has visited the North East to launch her new collaboration with South Shields clothing firm Barbour.
Ms Chung is one of a number of high profile names - including film director Ridley Scott and ceramicist Emma Bridgewater - to have collaborated with Barbour in recent years. She first worked with the firm in 2019 with a collection aimed at festival goers, and has now released her seventh collaboration with a photo shoot at Marsden beach.
The collection includes a range of jackets and hats. It is described as being “crafted for a regal country stroll or a rainy walk to the pub.”
Read more : firm's new Newcastle base paves way for hydrogen scheme
Ms Chung said: “For our latest Barbour collaboration, I was keen to focus on comfort as much as style. The tartans that lurk in the lining of the Blair Wax (a personal favourite) were an opportunity to put our stamp on the classic Barbour fabrics I am such a fan of. Our Nevis quilt has a regal quality to it but also wouldn’t look amiss on a sixties mod.
“It is this interplay between establishment and rebellion that excites me the most. As ever, particular attention was paid to the specific hues the coats come in. Our sunshine yellow Bonnie Quilt for example is the perfect yolk to go with blue denim. A city style that could keep you company in a field. The perfect collection to walk us back to Marsden Rock and the beginnings of Barbour, a brand I had always aspired to work with.”
Barbour’s history dates back more than 125 years and it is known to be a favourite of Royals and landowners in general. But the brand has been making strides to widen its appeal to younger customers too, and two years ago worked with Tyneside musiciann Sam Fender on a publicity campaign.
Barbour saw its revenues drop last year as pandemic lockdowns, plus cost and supply chain pressures, impacted its financial performance. But the company - which trades under the brands Barbour, Barbour International and Barbour Beacon - increased profit slightly and maintained its support for a range of North East charities and voluntary organisations.
READ NEXT:
